This invention relates to the field of domestic cooking appliances, and more specifically to the field of cooking appliances of the type adapted to preform cooking through the use of conventional thermal energy means as well as through the use of microwave energy means, and even more specifically to those cooking appliances adapted to perform both types of cooking within a single over cavity. As used in this application, the term "combination cooking" refers to the process of cooking foods by means of conventional thermal heating and microwave energy simultaneously, and an appliance adapted to carry out combination cooking shall be referred to as a "combination oven".
In recent years, electronic or microwave ovens have become an increasingly popular domestic cooking appliance. Such ovens have gained their popularity largely because of the speed at which cooking can be accomplished, as well as the relatively efficient energy usage of such ovens.
It is also recognized that certain kinds of cooking and foods can be prepared in a more aesthetically pleasing fashion in a conventional oven using thermal energy rather than cooking the food with microwave energy. Thus it is sometimes preferred to carry out the baking of some pastry items or the browning of other foods in a conventional manner.
Recent developments have produced domestic cooking appliances wherein both types of cooking can be carried out in a single cavity, and the present invention is directed toward such an appliance. There are several problems that must be overcome in order to manufacture such an appliance at a reasonable cost, and to produce such a product that is aesthetically pleasing and attractive in the modern kitchen. Because such an oven is designed to carry out microwave cooking as well as conventional cooking, the oven door must be capable of being secured in such a fashion as to meet the applicable government regulations for microwave energy apparatus. Moreover, since conventional cooking is to be carried on in the oven cavity as well, it is most desirable to provide for the oven cavity to be pyrolytically self-cleaning, again requiring a latch mechanism capable of safely sealing and locking the oven during such operation.
Door latch systems of the type commonly employed on microwave ovens alone are not generally adaptable to use with a free standing range type of appliance. Previous attempts to add a microwave cooking capability to free standing ranges has resulted in the addition of an extra operating latch which must be engaged prior to conducting microwave cooking.